


If this is to end in fire, then we should all burn together

by fmpsimon



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Romance, Zutara
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-04
Updated: 2016-09-07
Packaged: 2018-08-12 21:11:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7949311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fmpsimon/pseuds/fmpsimon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It all started when he left Mai, but if Zuko was being honest with himself, it started a long time before that.  If he thought back, years before, when he had a moment with a girl in a cave, when she offered to change his life.  Zutara, hints of Tokka</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for even getting this far. I am terrible at summaries, and as I write this, I have just changed the summary. You can expect a multi-chapter fic, heavy on the Zutara, with action, romance, a villainess, and hopefully a little bit of Tokka near the end.

                “Mai,” he whispered in the dark.  He turned his head to look at her.  “Mai,” he said again, this time a little louder.

                “What?” she said, half asleep and half annoyed.

                “I had a nightmare,” he said.  “Can I tell you about it?”

                She looked at him for a moment, then turned toward the ceiling, closing her eyes.  She sighed.  “I’m not your mother, Zuko.”

                He frowned and pushed himself up on his elbow.  “More often than not, we share the same bed—you could at least listen to my thoughts once in a while,” he snapped.  “Or is it just about sex and power to you?”

                Mai glared at him, then sighed, defeated.  “All right, tell me about your dream, Fire Lord.”

                He lay back down and stared up at the ceiling.  “I was alone.  And the world was on fire.  I remember feeling powerless to stop it.  I saw the world burning…right before my very eyes.  The palace collapsed.  And my father...he…he was rising from the ashes, more powerful than ever.”  He swallowed and felt his heart beating faster.

                Mai put her arm around him, running her fingers along his scar.  “There’s no fire, Zuko.  And your father is underground, behind bars.”  She kissed his neck, then his chin, then her lips finally met his.  She pulled away when he didn’t kiss her back.  “What is it?”

                He turned away from her.  “I’m not in the mood.”

                “Ugh, fine.”

                He felt the weight shift on the bed.  “Mai?”  He turned back, sitting up.  She was gone, and he could still feel the flames licking his body.


	2. Chapter One

                It felt strange when he held her hand.  It felt wrong when he kissed her.  And when he should have found comfort in her arms, he felt nothing.  It wasn’t her fault.  He became distant, he pulled away.  He didn’t love her.  And if he was being honest with himself, he never did.  They were kids.  They didn’t know what love was anyway.  She was angry when it ended; she said he had promised to never leave her.  And he probably had—he had made a lot of promises he couldn’t keep and said a lot of things that he thought were true.  But they weren’t true, and they never would be.  He didn’t quite know what to do with himself after that.  He tried to continue his life as if nothing had changed, but it became…difficult.  Perhaps he was just being childish, but he still felt like that awkward sixteen-year-old who no one wanted to talk to.  It didn’t matter that he was the Fire Lord.  He wondered if he would ever truly feel normal again, a feeling that had seemed just out of reach for most of his life.

                As luck would have it, he received an invitation from his uncle to visit him in Ba Sing Se.  This seemed as good a time as any to visit, and it would allow him to get some much needed time away from the Fire Nation.  He would call it a good will mission or something.  He had grown accustomed to telling people what they wanted to hear, so he was comfortable making up any excuse to get away.  Besides, it had been several years since the end of the war, and a lot had changed in the world, particularly in the Earth Kingdom.

                He traveled to Ba Sing Se, to his uncle’s tea shop, the Jasmine Dragon.  No one recognized him as he sat, drinking his tea at a table in the corner.  He wore some old clothes he had picked up in the city years ago, which helped him to blend in.  He had left behind everything that would tie him to the Fire Nation, including his crown.  His dark bangs hung over his eyes as he slowly sipped at his tea, savoring it.  It had been a long time since he had tasted this.  He had to admit, his uncle really had perfected his craft.

                He watched his uncle bustle about the shop, serving customers, a smile plastered to his face.  He felt a twinge of envy for the man.  He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt that happy.  He stared down at his tea, frowning.  He couldn’t recall the last time he had been truly happy at all.  When the shop closed around dusk, his uncle joined him, setting down a fresh pot of tea.  “It is good to see you, Zuko,” he said.  “I wasn’t sure you would come.  I’ve sent you so many invitations over the years, and most of them go unanswered.”

                “Did you ask me here to scold me, Uncle?” Zuko said, resting his head on his hand.  “If that’s the case, I can get plenty of that at home, between the council of elders and Mai—” he cut himself off.  He didn’t want to bring her up.  He didn’t want to think about her, because every time he did, guilt swelled up in his chest and it hurt.

                “Ah, Mai.”  Iroh smiled warmly, the way he always did when he was remembering something (or someone) fondly.  “I am surprised you did not bring her with.  You have been together for so long…should I be expecting to hear wedding bells soon?”  Zuko fidgeted in his seat and was suddenly very interested in finishing his tea.  Iroh narrowed his eyes.  “Zuko, tell me what happened.”

                He could say nothing, say he didn’t want to talk about it.  But he knew that his uncle would drag it out of him anyway.  He set his cup down gently and leaned back into his chair.  His uncle had a way of making him feel like a kid again.  He folded his arms, frowning.  “We broke up.”

                “I’m sorry.  Are you all right?”

                “I ended it,” Zuko added.  He glanced up at his uncle, waiting for some response, some words of wisdom or scolding, but nothing came.  “Uncle, I’m twenty-two years old, leader of the Fire Nation, and I don’t have time for romances that aren’t going anywhere.”  He sighed.  “I don’t love her.”

                Iroh took a long drink of tea, then leaned back in his chair.  “You do not need to justify your decisions to me.”  He smiled.  “But I am glad you followed your heart.”

                “Thank you, Uncle.”  Zuko bowed his head.  “If there’s still a room available, I’d like to stay here.  That is, if it’s not too much trouble,” he added hastily.

                “Of course!” Iroh exclaimed, jumping up out of his chair.  “I wouldn’t have it any other way!”  He sat back down, composing himself again.  “But I hope you are not doing this just to make an old man happy.”

                Zuko smiled, bowing his head again.  He went to bed early and slowly unpacked his things.  He stripped down to his pants and sat on the edge of the bed.  There was a watercolor on the wall: a painting of a cherry tree in full bloom.  It made him think of home, the courtyard at the palace, and Mai.  He put his face in his hands.  It was bad enough that she haunted his dreams…He remembered the last time he saw her vividly, as he often replayed it in his head.  He had brought her flowers—an apology for something he’d said or done that had upset her.  He couldn’t even remember what he had done.

 

_“Again with the flowers, Zuko?  That’s not enough this time.”  Mai barely turned to look at him when he walked in the room._

_“Mai, I’m sorry!” he said.  “What can I do to make it up to you?”_

_She rose from the chez lounge, crossing her arms.  “You want to make it up to me?”  He nodded rapidly.  “Show me that you love me.”_

_“How?” he replied.  “I get you flowers, fruit tarts, shower you with gifts—I don’t know how else to show you!”_

_“Ask me to marry you!” she said, throwing her arms down._

_“I can’t do that!” he shouted._

_She rolled her eyes.  “What do you mean, you can’t?  You’re the Fire Lord!  You can do anything you want!”  He set the flowers down on the table and started to walk out.  “Zuko, stop lying to me!  And don’t you dare walk away!  Why won’t you marry me?”_

_“Because I don’t love you!  Is that a good enough answer, Mai?  Does it meet your approval?  God knows_ I _never did.”  He half expected her to throw something at him, but she didn’t.  She didn’t even speak for a good minute.  The moment he looked back at her, he wished he hadn’t.  He had never seen her cry, but she was now; tears silently streaming down her face._

_“How long?” she said.  She didn’t bother to wipe the tears away, and they just kept coming.  “How long have you known?”_

_He averted his eyes, ashamed.  “I don’t know.”_

_“Of course you don’t,” she said bitterly.  “I guess I was stupid to expect a straight answer out of you, even at the end.”  She started to walk out the door._

_“Mai,” he said, catching her arm.  “I never meant to hurt you.”_

_She pulled her arm away, shooting him a dirty look.  “Right.  I’ve never heard_ that _before.”  She paused just outside the door.  “I don’t ever want to see you again, Zuko.  Fire Lord or not, you’re still scum.”_

He got into bed and closed his eyes, trying to push the memory away.  His sleep was uneasy, like it usually was.  He spent the next few days wandering about the city, enjoying the anonymity it provided him.  Part of him wished he could stay hidden forever, but he knew his responsibility was to the Fire Nation, first and foremost.

                On the third night, he sent his uncle to bed early, volunteering to close and tidy up the shop.  There was something relaxing about washing and drying dishes, he thought, as he methodically cleaned up.  And he was just about finished when he heard the door open.  “We’re closed,” he called from the back of the shop. 

                “Sorry, but I’ve been working all day, and I just need a nice, hot cup of tea to unwind,” came a woman’s voice.  He couldn’t see who it was, so he started making his way to the front.  “You’re probably new here, so just so you know, Iroh always lets me come in after close.  I’m a close, personal friend of his…”  She trailed off as he entered the room.  He recognized her at once, though she was taller and she was wearing her hair a little differently now.  But her eyes were the same—he could never forget them.  His scar, of course, was unmistakable.  “Zuko?” she breathed in disbelief.

                He smiled.  “Katara!  I never expected to see you here.”  He stood in the doorway, unsure of what to do, but within a few seconds she had collided with him and was flinging her arms around him, squeezing him as tightly as she could.  After a moment, he hugged her back and felt his cheeks flush a little.

                “It’s so good to see you!” she said, holding him even tighter.  He felt a rush of warmth at her touch, and a flood of memories came to the forefront of his mind.  He let his head drop to her shoulder, where his lips just barely brushed against her dark skin.  When she pulled away, he noticed the color in her cheeks as well.  It looked like she had been working in the city.  She wore a pair of pants and a simple sleeveless work shirt.  He couldn’t help but notice the faint smell of sweat on her clothes, but it didn’t bother him.  She grinned at him, looking him up and down.  “How long has it been?”

                “Five years,” he replied, running a hand through his hair.

                “Wow,” she said thoughtfully.  She cocked her head and a small smile played on her lips.  “You cut your hair.”  He was about to say something self-deprecating, but she spoke first.  “I like it this way.  To tell you the truth, I never liked the long-hair look on you.”  She laughed as he tried to figure out if that was a compliment or not.  “So, tell me what you’ve been up to!”

                “I’m more interested in what you’ve been doing,” he said, dodging the question.  He went to the back of the shop to fetch a pot of tea, while she sat down.  “I haven’t heard from Aang for quite a while,” he called.  “I’m guessing that’s a good sign.”

                Katara was silent for a moment, then she called back, “He’s very busy.”  He returned carrying a tray with two cups and a teapot.  She looked up at him with a smile that seemed forced.  She cleared her throat.  “He’s in the Eastern Air Temple now, teaching a new group of monks.”  She explained that he had been traveling to each Air Temple as part of the restoration.  There were a lot of people interested in becoming monks, even though all the airbenders were gone.

                He couldn’t believe she was there.  He had expected he might run into Toph, or even Sokka, but he had never expected to see Katara.  He felt nervous, even anxious.  Why?  What was _wrong_ with him?  It was just Katara.  An old friend.  He should have been at ease with her.  He looked into her eyes as she dove into a story of some recent adventure, and he found himself lost in them.  Maybe it was the glow of the candles, but even in drab work clothes, she looked…

                “Is Mai with you?”  He was ripped out of his reverie by her question.  Why was everyone asking about her?

                “Huh?”  He blinked.  “Oh, Mai.  No.  I, erm, came alone,” he said quickly.  He forced a smile.  _Everything is just fine_.  He waited for more questions, but they never came, and he was eager to change the subject.  “So, how long are you in the city?”

                She shrugged.  “As long as it takes, I guess.  There is still work to be done, and I’ve started teaching waterbending.  There are a lot of Water Tribe immigrants, some of them benders, and there was no one to teach them.  I didn’t think I’d be here this long, but I can’t exactly leave now.  And to be honest, this city’s really grown on me.  I’m not ready to leave it just yet.”  She paused, setting her cup down.  “How long will you be here?  I hope I’m not catching you at the end of your trip!”

                “I just got here, actually,” he said.  “A few days ago.  Not sure how long I’ll stay.”

                “Are you here on official Fire Lord business?” she said, her voice teasing.

                Zuko shook his head.  He found her smile infectious, or maybe he was just happy to be with her again.  “Not exactly.  It’s more of a vacation.”

                “Do you have any plans for tomorrow?” she said, finishing her tea.

                He put his hand on the back of his neck, averting his eyes.  “Erm…not much, really.  I’ve already been around the city.”

                She grinned.  “It’s settled, then!  You’re spending the day with me tomorrow!  I’m going to show you _all_ the sights!  And I _won’t_ take no for an answer!” she added when she saw his mouth opening to protest.

                “I don’t want to put you out, Katara,” he said softly.

                She crossed her arms.  “I’m starting to think you don’t _want_ to spend time with me.”

                “Not, it’s not that at all!” he said quickly.  “I _do_ want to spend time with you—a lot!  Erm, I mean…that came out wrong.”

                Katara laughed loudly.  “I’m just _teasing_ you, Zuko!  Relax!”  She stood up.  “Thanks for the tea.  I’d better get going, though.”  She opened the door, and then turned around.  “I’ll be here first thing in the morning to get you.  Don’t be late!”

                He nodded.  “Good night.”  He gave a little wave and watched her leave.  He had trouble sleeping that night when he finally did get to bed.  For the first time in a while, he didn’t think of Mai when he closed his eyes.  He remembered the last time he and Katara had been together.  They had all come to the Fire Nation for a kind of reunion.  It had been Aang’s idea, of course.  They had all had dinner, after which Aang had insisted on dancing.  He wowed the Fire Nation elite with his traditional dances, pulling Katara in for a few.  Zuko didn’t dance, and he had gone outside for fresh air.  He had been surprised to find he wasn’t the only one with that idea.

 

_“I thought you’d be cutting a rug in there,” Katara said with a smirk.  Her long hair fell over her shoulders in waves, covering up the intricate beading on the neckline of her red gown._

_He smiled.  She hadn’t changed a bit.  “I’m not much of a dancer.”_

_“Me either,” she said with a laugh.  “But Aang likes it, so I indulge him.”  She nudged him with her shoulder.  “So, how do you like being Fire Lord?  Is it everything you hoped?”_

_A sigh escaped his lips before he could stop it.  “It’s…great,” he finally said.  He didn’t want to burden her with his problems.  It wasn’t her concern that no one on the council respected him, that they thought he was a poor replacement for his father; she shouldn’t have to worry that he had had several attempts on his life, which made it next to impossible to sleep.  And worst of all, most of the Fire Nation had no desire to be a part of the rest of the world unless they were held in higher regard._

_“I’m not buying it, Zuko,” she said, narrowing her eyes.  “Usually people don’t say, ‘it’s great’ with a face like that.”_

_“This is just my face,” he said, shaking his head.  “I always look like this.”_

_“Oh, shut up!” she laughed, swatting at him.  Her hand lingered on his shoulder and her touch sent electricity through him._

_“Hey!  What are you two_ doing _out here?  You’re missing all the fun!”  Aang jogged up to them and lazily threw his arm around Katara’s shoulders, a goofy expression on his face.  He looked at both of them in turn._

_“Just getting some fresh air,” Katara answered, smiling back at him._

_Aang kissed her cheek, making her blush.  “Come back inside.  I need my dancing partner!”  He winked at Zuko.  “Sorry, pal, she’s taken.”_

 

He remembered how much that comment had felt to him like a punch in the gut, but he hadn’t given it much thought.  Katara was taken—she had been taken before he had even met her.  He smiled as he lay in the dark.  He was excited to spend the day with her, but nervous.  What if he made a fool of himself?  He felt butterflies in his stomach, and as he drifted off to sleep, they gave way to nightmares.  He jumped in front of Azula’s lightning bolt to save Katara again and again that night, and when the sun finally came up, his abdomen ached.


	3. Chapter Two

                He pulled himself out of bed the next morning and made his way to the washroom.  He could hear his uncle singing loudly and splashing around, so he went out back where there was a water pump.  He splashed some water on his face and took a long drink.  Turns out even the end of summer in Ba Sing Se was quite warm.

                He was startled by the sound of a shutter opening above him.  “Zuko!” his uncle called out.  He had his head and chest out the window, and water was dripping from his grey locks.  “You should have come in!  I’m an old man; I have nothing to hide.”

                Zuko tried to smile through his grimace.  “That’s all right, Uncle.  This is just fine!”

                Iroh shrugged.  “Well, since you’re up, I could use a few things from the market.  I have a list inside.  Besides,” he glanced at Zuko’s bare chest, “you may want to put something else on.”

                Zuko sighed inwardly and went back in.  He was supposed to meet Katara today, and he did not want her to think that he had forgotten.  Then again, so what if she had to wait a little?  Why was he so concerned about what she thought of him?  Then he reminded himself: he always had been.  There was something about her that made him want to be his best self—and not just for him, but for her.  He had thought of her often over the years; on late nights while he and Mai were lying in his bed, his mind would recall the feisty waterbender.  Sometimes his heart would beat faster and a smile would play on his thin lips, and Mai would notice, and he would have to say something about how he had never been happier.  And over the years, it had become harder and harder to convince himself that he was happy.

                He left the flat in a sleeveless green tunic and a coolie hat.  The market would be crowded as restauranteurs picked up their daily supplies of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats.  By the time he reached the stand that sold turtle duck eggs, he had filled two shopping bags.  He was sure the vendor recognized him, so he made sure to give him an extra gold coin.  “Keep the change,” he said gruffly.

                “Oh, thank you, sir!” the man said, bowing low.

                As Zuko turned to leave, he noticed a pretty young woman to his left eyeing him.  “Excuse me,” he said, trying to squeeze past her.

                She caught a good look at his face, and her eyes widened.  She gasped.  “I’d recognize that scar anywhere!  You’re Fire Lord Zuko!”  _Do not make a scene, do not make a scene._   He nodded and tried to keep his demeanor somewhat regal as she moved in closer to him.  “I heard you’re newly single, Fire Lord,” she said, looking him up and down.  He narrowed his eyes.  How did she know that?  He had only told Iroh…He frowned.  _Mai_.  She must have made their separation public.  “You know, my family is one of the richest in the kingdom, next to the Beifongs, and I’m not married either.”  She flicked her shiny black locks over her shoulder.

                _Do not make a scene_.  “Well, I’m sure you’ll find someone special soon,” he said diplomatically.  “If you’ll excuse me, I’m on official business here.”

                “Looks like you’re in disguise,” she whispered.  “I won’t tell if you take me to dinner.”  She winked at him.

                His eyes just about popped out of his head and he froze.  _Don’t blow up.  Control your anger_.  “Miss, please step aside,” he said, his anger barely at bay.

                She folded her arms, her bright green eyes flashing.  “Fine.  Have it your way.”  Then the young woman took a deep breath, cupped her hands around her mouth, and shouted, “FIRE LORD ZUKO IS HERE AND HE’S LOOKING FOR A NICE WOMAN TO SPEND THE DAY WITH!”

                He wanted to spit fire at her, but instead he shot her a glare before turning on his heel and running.  He hoped his uncle appreciated what he was going through just to pick up some damn groceries.  He glanced behind him, where a hoard of women was advancing.  He thought he could outrun them, but it seemed that he had underestimated the strength of desperate, unmarried young women.  He took the corners fast as he twisted and turned down alley after alley.  He was close to the Jasmine Dragon, but he didn’t want them to know where to find him.  Quickly, he turned another corner and ducked through the first door he saw.  He slammed the door behind him and leaned up against it, bracing himself for the impact if they figured out where he had gone.  He didn’t dare move and he held his breath for as long as he could.

                “He went this way!” he heard one of them squeal.  _Damn_.  He remained still, though, and it appeared they did not realize he had slipped inside, and the hoard soon passed.  He waited for the dust to settle and finally exhaled.  He wiped the sweat from his forehead and allowed himself to look around.  It was a small, crowded little shop—filled with knick-knacks and talismans and crystals.

                “Ah, so the Fire Lord has finally decided to pay us a visit.”  He jumped as an elderly woman stepped out of the shadows.  “It has been foretold,” she said, smiling.  “Come.”  He peered around hesitantly.  First a mob, now a pushy fortune-teller.  “Come,” she said again, taking a hold of his arm.  Her long nails dug into his skin as she pulled him towards an area lit by candles.  She gestured for him to sit on one of the large pillows.

                “I’m really not interested in having my fortune told,” he said, removing his hat.

                “I sense a great disquiet about your spirit,” she said, ignoring him and closing her eyes.  She took a deep breath and he sighed.  He had never been very spiritual, and he certainly never took divination very seriously.  That had always been Azula’s thing when she was younger.  She had always thought that she was destined to marry some wealthy, powerful firebender, but not so powerful that she couldn’t control him.  “I see that you have spent your entire life running.”

                He snorted.  “Everyone knows that.  I spent three years of my life banished, wandering the world in search of the Avatar.”  He tapped his knee impatiently.  He did _not_ want to be late.

                “But you are still running,” she said, opening one eye and peering at him.

                “Of course.  Did you hear those women out there?  Who knows what they would have done if they had gotten a hold of me.”

                “That is not what I meant.  You are not afraid of them.  You are the Fire Lord; you can easily evade a couple of… _desperate_ young women.”  He suddenly felt uncomfortable under her gaze.  She closed her eyes again, breathing in deeply.  “I see your future clearly before me: a long, productive reign, bountiful and prosperous; your people will be swollen with pride for you and your nation.  But this comes at a price, one that is steep to some, including you.”  He swallowed and he felt the firelight dim around him.  “You will have a lifetime of unhappiness.”  She paused, opening her eyes.  “You may carry those scars on your face and chest with you, but it is your emotional scars that will haunt you until you draw your last breath.”  He exhaled, suddenly realizing he had been holding his breath, and the flames seemed to glow brighter again.  “So!” she said, flashing him a toothy grin.  “Can I tempt you with a good luck talisman?”  She stepped over to a case filled with carvings.  “Aha, here we are.”  She handed him a small rose quartz pendant of a turtle duck.

                He turned it over in his hand.  “What does it mean?”

                She smirked.  “Well, nothing to you.  You don’t believe in this kind of thing anyway.”

                He handed her a gold piece.  “Here.  Thank you for letting me hide here.”  He gathered his bags as she bit the coin, delighted.

                “It was my pleasure!” she called after him.

                He studied the pendant as he walked.  It was pretty, but that was all.  He was fairly certain it wouldn’t bring him any sort of luck or change his destiny.  He could hear his uncle’s voice in his head, telling him that he could make his own destiny.  He shoved the necklace deep into his pocket and promptly forgot about it.  When he arrived at the Jasmine Dragon, he entered through the back door.  He spotted Iroh sipping tea at a table and went out to give him a piece of his mind.

                Removing his hat, Zuko snapped, “Next time you decide to send me on your little grocery errand, Uncle, I’d appreciate a few bodyguards.”  He was about to drop the shopping bags on the table when he noticed Iroh was not alone.

                “I was going to suggest we go to the market, but it looks like you beat me to it,” Katara said with a smirk.

                He lost his balance and a few eggs dropped to the floor, splattering.  Katara stifled a laugh.  The sheen of sweat on his forehead started to steam off.  Zuko took a deep breath and said through gritted teeth, “I need to go up to my room and wash up, and then we can go.”  He shot an angry look at his uncle before stomping off up the stairs.

                “Looking forward to hearing _that_ story,” he heard Katara say with a giggle.

                Zuko deposited the groceries in the apartment and went straight to the washroom.  He stared at himself in the mirror.  With his hair cropped short, he looked a little younger, but he did not consider himself to be good-looking by any stretch of the imagination.  He wondered why that girl in the market had been so interested in him.  Money, he scoffed.  And power.  Nothing more.  He frowned at the scar across his left eye.  No amount of makeup could cover that up—his attendants had tried desperately.  It was better that he could see it, though; a constant reminder of who he had striven to be since turning his back on his father.  _Father_.  His mouth filled with a bitter taste.  His father was rotting in some cell beneath the palace, deep underground.

                He was scrubbing vigorously at his face when he heard a knock at the door.  “Nephew.”

                “Uncle,” he said in a chilly tone.

                “You should not keep your guest waiting,” Iroh said, stepping inside.  “I am running out of stories to tell her.”

                He grabbed a towel.  “I’m almost finished.”  He ran his hand through his hair and glanced at himself again.  He wondered if he looked okay, and frowned.  He rarely pondered his appearance.

                “Katara is very kind,” Iroh said in a very leading way.  “Very pretty too.”

                Zuko blushed.  “So?  What of it?”

                Iroh looked up and around nonchalantly.  “Oh, just the ramblings of an old man who wants something good for his nephew.”  He paused.  “You know, I never did get to see my son marry.”

                “Uncle!”  Zuko turned around swiftly.  “We are _just friends_.  Last time I saw her, she and the Avatar were…well…they could be married for all I know!”  He crossed his arms.  “I hope you didn’t say anything like that to her.”  His face went pale all of the sudden.  “You didn’t mention Mai, did you?  I don’t want her to know.”

                Iroh shook his head slowly.  “That is your secret to tell, not mine.”

                “That’s right, and I’d prefer she didn’t find out.”  He dusted off his tunic.  “I couldn’t stand seeing that look of pity on her face again.”  He exhaled, pushing away the memory of the conversation he had had with Katara in the caves of Ba Sing Se.  “All right.  I’m off.  I’m not sure what she has planned for the day.”

                “I won’t wait up for you,” Iroh said, patting his shoulder.  “Try not to get into too much trouble.”

                “Oh, you know me, Uncle,” Zuko smirked.

                “I do,” Iroh said with a smile.  “That’s why I’m reminding you.”  Zuko nodded, rolling his eyes a little, and headed down to meet Katara.

                “Let’s get out of here,” he said.

 

 

“Outside the city, huh?” Katara said thoughtfully, after Zuko had detailed his harrowing experience in the market.  She fingered the beads that were carefully woven into her hair.  Her hair was in braids today, and he found himself wondering how long it had taken her to do that.

                “I can’t risk being recognized again.”  He glanced at her from underneath his hat.  She was smiling again.  “You do that a lot.”

                “What?”  She looked at him, puzzled.

                “Smile.”

                “Well, I’m happy, I guess,” she shrugged.  “Or maybe… _you_ make me smile,” she said, poking his arm.

                “Okay, now you’re just lying to me,” he deadpanned.

                “I would never!”  She couldn’t contain her grin.  “Well, I might, but I’m not now.”  She shoved him lightly.  “I’m glad you came here for your vacation.”

                He smiled back.  “Me too.”

                Suddenly her eyes lit up.  “Look!  Over there!  _Sail the desert seas with your own personal guide_!” she read excitedly.  “Come on!”  She grabbed him by the hand, running across the square to the sand sailor vendor.  Less than an hour later, they were out on the desert on a sandship, sailing over dunes of soft pale sand.  “Isn’t this great?”  Katara closed her eyes, enjoying the warm sun and breeze on her face.

                “Much better than the market,” Zuko said, removing his hat.  He didn’t need to worry about anyone recognizing him out here.  He stared at the horizon and leaned back.  There wasn’t a soul around here.  “Yeah,” he said softly, putting his hands behind his head.  He allowed himself to close his eyes.  Katara kept talking, pointing things out in the sky; she said one of the clouds looked like Appa.  He felt her lie down next to him.  She put her hand on his cheek and kissed his ear.  He smiled.  Her lips moved down his jawline, finally finding his lips.  “Oh, Zuko,” she whispered.  “Zuko…Zuko!”

                “What?!”  He shot bolt upright, just in time the brace himself when the sandship was knocked off its course by a wall of sand that suddenly burst up in front of them.  He grabbed onto her arms and they managed to keep each other on their feet.  The sandship finally came to a halt.  “Shit,” he breathed.  He tried to get his bearings and figure out what had happened.  “Are you okay?” he said.

                She nodded quickly.  “I’m okay.  But where did that formation come from?”

                “And where’d the guide go?” Zuko asked, looking around.  Just then, something in the distance caught his eye.  He breathed in sharply.  “Katara, move!” he shouted suddenly.  She jumped out of the way, narrowly avoiding the boulder.  He channeled all his energy into creating a stream of fire, aiming for the boulder.  Zuko’s flame was strong, but the force behind the boulder was stronger.  At the last second, he broke the stream, and rolled out of the way.  The boulder smashed to pieces and the earthbender took control of those, sending the shards in all directions.

                There were too many of them, Zuko realized, as more benders appeared all around them.  Too many for him and Katara to handle.  She managed to encase two of them in ice, but another would create an earthquake to shatter it.  He threw balls of fire, but each time, they would create a wall of sand to block the blow.

                And then the metalbender arrived, sporting a long chain and a set of kunai.  Her green eyes were bright underneath her black bangs.  He recognized her as the young woman from the market who had propositioned him.  She was wearing different clothes; she had traded her white dress for sand colored pants and a shirt.  Her wrists were wrapped underneath leather gauntlets.  “You,” he said, assuming a defensive stance.

                Katara gaped at him while following suit.  “You _know_ this woman?”

                “We had a brief conversation in the market,” he said through gritted teeth.

                “Yes, it’s me, oh great and powerful Fire Lord.”  She grinned and sent her chain first towards Katara.  The waterbender lashed out with an ice attack, but the chain easily cut through it.  The chain looped around Katara and was pulled tight.  “And by the way, it’s Fan.”

                “I’m stuck!” Katara said, struggling.  She looked up at Zuko in desperation.  “I can’t move!”

                Zuko instinctively reached for his sword, only to discover it wasn’t there.  He hadn’t brought it with him.  He cursed and turned back to Fan.  They were outnumbered and outmatched.  Defeat was the only option.  He only hoped that they would make it out of this unscathed.  He looked back at Katara, then dropped his arms.  “What do you want from us?  Silver?  Gold?  Take it, and let us go!”

                Fan sent another chain at Zuko, who had no time to dodge before it had wrapped itself around his arms and torso.  Stepping towards him, she said, “Hand over your money, and whatever weapons you may have.”

                “Don’t you think I would have _used_ them if I had them?” Zuko growled.

                “Perhaps.”  She turned to the rest of her gang.  “Search them.  Take anything of value.”  Zuko and Katara were both pushed to their knees while their clothes were rifled through.

                Zuko watched, infuriated, while one of the sandbenders felt around Katara’s pockets.  The man made a point of feeling everything else too.  “That’s enough!” Zuko shouted, incensed.  “You’ve got what you came for, now leave!”

                The woman pushed the sandbender away, looking down at Katara.  “I’m not taking any chances with you, honey,” she said.  “You’re very powerful.”  She leaned in.  “Did you take moisture from the clouds?  That’s simply amazing.  Maybe you’d like to join me?  We could use a waterbender of your caliber.”

                “Here’s some water for you,” Katara snarled, before spitting in her face.

                Fan slowly wiped her cheek and, in one swift moment, slapped Katara across the face.

                “Hey!” Zuko shouted, struggling.  He gripped the chains, heating them to the point of melting.  They fell to his side and he jumped to his feet.  He couldn’t melt the chains around Katara without hurting her.  He would have to do this on his own.  Swiftly, he pulled his arm back and prepared to hurl a fireball at Fan.  The ball of fire missed its mark and before he had realized, he felt a stinging sensation in his chest.  He stared down at the kunai in his chest and watched it twist with every word she said.

                “Don’t pull that shit with me, _firebender_.”  She threw another kunai at him and forced both knives further into his skin, and he fell to his knees.  Her black hair hung messily in her face, shining in the light.  He saw sweat trickling down from her temples.

                “Zuko!” Katara cried.  He barely heard her.  The pounding in his ears was too loud, the pain was too great.  The two knives were completely inside his chest now—only the hilts were visible.

                Fan said something to the rest of her gang and they all loaded up on the sandship.  Before she got on, she called out to him, “Give my regards to the Phoenix King!”  In a wrenching motion, the kunai slashed across his chest before returning to their owner.  The chains soon followed suit, but by then, Zuko was on his back.  Blood was leaking from the wound, spotting the sand.

                “Oh no, not again, not again!” came Katara’s panicked voice.  It was distant, far away.  He felt her hands on him, cool to the touch.  He was so hot; his skin was on fire.  “You’re going to be fine,” her voice broke through the searing pain.  “Don’t worry—Zuko?  Zuko, stay with me!  Don’t—Zuko—!”


End file.
